Love's Late Blossom
by deirdre rowena
Summary: I know it's late to be putting up this fic, I like it. It's a Joe/Mimi; flames are welcome...any reviews are welcome! After three years of silence from Mimi, Joe learns that she has still been keeping in touch with the others. Now she is returning to J


A loud ringing awakened the twenty-one year old sprawled on the couch. He groped for the phone with one hand, found it, and answered it with a groggy, "Hello?"  
  
A cheerful voice on the other end filled his ears. "Hey, Joe, it's Tai! Sorry if I woke you up, buddy, but I wanted you to know that we're going to go on a picnic in the park to celebrate TK and Kari's engagement!"  
  
That woke Joe up. "WHAT!" he yelled. "TK and Kari are engaged?"  
  
A loud giggle broke through his shock. "No, Joe, they're not engaged." Sora's reply was a blessing. "They're not even going out yet. Actually, we are going on a picnic in the park, but it's to celebrate Mimi's homecoming." Joe's eyes widened.  
  
"Oh!" exclaimed Tai, who was still on the line. "That reminds me! We're meeting at the airport an hour before her plane lands; we wanted to set up a little surprise for her."  
  
Despair, worse than ever before, hit him. Joe struggled for a moment to bring his voice under control, but when he answered his friends there was no sign of his depression. "I'm sorry, Sora, Tai, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it to the airport...Call me when you get to the park." He hung up without waiting for a response.  
  
He slowly stood up and walked into his bedroom. With one graceful, long fingered hand he picked up a picture that had been sitting next to his bed for several years. In it, a small, slender girl with shoulder length hair dyed pink and American clothes stood in front of a tall tree. Her smile was bright, and filled with more joy than any person Joe had ever known. He sat down on his bed with a sigh, tears welling in his eyes.  
  
With a groan he bowed his head and covered his face with his hands. "Mimi," he murmured. He shook his head to clear it. Speaking to the picture, he asked softly, "Why didn't you tell me you were moving back? Why did you tell everyone but me?"  
  
When Mimi had first moved to America, she had kept in touch with Joe, just as she had with all the other digidestined. But after a few years, she stopped answering his emails. Occasionally he wrote to her, but there was never a reply. Joe had assumed that she had cut off contact with all the digidestined, not just him. Apparently, he had been wrong.  
  
Joe took a deep breath to calm himself. A year after he returned from the digital world for the first time he had learned that if he was not careful to keep his emotions in check, it was possible for him to become either extremely depressed, or extremely angry. He had broken his hand punching a wall before he truly understood just how dangerous it was for him to lose control.  
  
He was suddenly aware of a crunching noise and glanced down in surprise. His right hand had clenched around his water glass, crushing it. Shards of glass had sliced through his skin; a small pool of blood lay on the floor underneath his dripping hand. With another sigh he stood and walked to the bathroom. Perhaps he was not as calm as he thought.  
  
Mimi grinned as she walked out of the gate. Standing to one side of the airport's coffee shop were her friends. Yolei ran over to her and dragged her by the hand to the table where they were sitting. Everyone got up, grinning just as broadly as she was. Soon she was being hugged by each and every one of the digidestined.  
  
"Wow," she whispered, touched by their affection. "I didn't think you would all come."  
  
Sora grinned and slung an arm around Mimi's shoulders. "We're your friends, Mimi, and we all wanted to be here for you. Joe couldn't be here, but he said--"  
  
"What!" Mimi gasped, cutting her friend off. Terror shot through her, freezing her even though she felt like running. Joe knew.  
  
Kari placed a soothing hand on her arm. "Joe's been very busy, lately," she said, misinterpreting the look on Mimi's face. "He's moved into his own apartment instead of living on the college campus, and he has to work part time in order to get the rent. He doesn't have much spare time, with his job, classes, and all that homework." She smiled at her brightly. "He'll probably drop by to see you later today."  
  
Mimi plastered a fake looking smile on her face. "I'm sure he will." That was what she was afraid of.  
  
Joe glanced at his watch. Seven o'clock. He yawned and set aside his textbook, careful not knock over his new water glass. He had probably missed Sora's call, but he didn't really care. He went to his closet and pulled out a coat. He figured he might as well take a walk if there wasn't any studying left to do.  
  
It was getting dark out, but Joe didn't care. He liked the blackness of the night; it was a reflection of his personality and state of mind. Without hesitation he headed to the park. He didn't have to be afraid of bumping into anyone there. His friends would have left the moment the sun began to go down, long since.  
  
It was a beautiful night. The moon shone brightly in the sky and the stars twinkled. Joe stopped in the middle of the park and sat down on a bench. He watched as a few other people walked by, some alone and lost to private thoughts, others with a friend and chatting quietly.  
  
Finally, after a long while, he stood up. Usually sitting at his favorite bench helped him clear his thoughts, but tonight it was no use. He was too hurt, too confused. He had thought Mimi was his friend; of all the digidestined, he had always been closest to her. Shaking his head, he turned around and someone ran into him.  
  
"Oh!" The woman's voice was light and musical. It sounded very familiar to him for some reason.  
  
Mimi picked herself up off the ground, embarrassed that she had run into a complete stranger. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" She looked up at him, and her eyes widened.  
  
"Joe," she breathed. He looked so different! His long, navy blue hair was pulled back into a ponytail and small steel rimmed glasses framed his face. He was taller than he had been when she'd last seen him, looking about six foot four. He had finally grown into that tall body of his; he was now slender, muscular, and graceful. He wore a pair of black pants, a navy shirt, and a long dark gray trenchcoat. It was no wonder she hadn't recognized him at first.  
  
Joe stared down at her, eyes wide and disbelieving. "Mimi," he said at last. "I hadn't expected to see you here." His tone made it clear that it was an unwelcome surprise.  
  
Mimi looked away. She knew what he saw; she looked exactly the same as she had when she'd left, although her hair was back to it's original chestnut color and was longer. Her clothes were only slightly different. She wore a pair of slightly baggy khakis, a pink baby tee, and a black sweater, but other than that she hadn't changed. In appearances, at least. "I'm sorry, Joe," she whispered, trying her hardest not to cry.  
  
"Why?" She flinched at the harshness of his voice. "You just stopped talking to me about three years ago, Mimi. I thought maybe you had just moved on with your life and had decided not to keep in touch with your friends in Japan, but then I find out yesterday that you only stopped talking to me." He lost control for a moment, letting the raw pain he felt slip into his words. In that instant she saw how much she'd hurt him. "And now you're back in Japan, something you decided to tell all your friends but me, and you tell me you're sorry." Sorrow blazed in his eyes and he turned away from her slightly, hoping she wouldn't see his pain. "You decided to cut me out of your life, Mimi, and I'll respect your decision. No apologies needed. Goodbye." Without another word he strode off, leaving the dumbstruck Mimi behind him.  
  
Silent tears streamed down her face as she collapsed onto the bench where he had been sitting a moment before. "Joe," she whispered softly. Trembling, unable to control the sobs that racked her body, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed a number. "Izzy? It's Mimi. No, I'm all right, really. I just...I just need a ride. I'm at the park. Ok, see you in a minute."  
  
It didn't take long for Izzy to arrive. He ran up to her, breathing hard. "Mimi?" he asked frantically. "Mimi, I'm here. What happened?"  
  
Mimi wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. "Oh, Izzy!" she sobbed. "I've lost him for good!"  
  
"Who, Mimi?" Izzy asked, calmer now that he realized she wasn't actually hurt. "No, wait. Why don't I take you home and make you some tea while you tell me what happened." He gently led her to his car, letting her cry and murmuring comforting words to her. The drive to her apartment wasn't far at all, less than a minute from the park, and soon Mimi was curled up on her couch, a blanket tucked around her and a mug of tea in her hand.  
  
"Now," said Izzy. "What happened."  
  
Mimi sniffled and took a sip of tea. "I ran into Joe right before I called you...I hurt him, Izzy. I hurt him so badly, and I don't think he'll ever forgive me for it."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
She turned her face away from him and spoke to the wall instead. "I stopped answering Joe's emails three years ago, when I became engaged to Jonathan." She swallowed hard as she heard Izzy's sharp intake of breath. She smiled bitterly. "I'd been in love with Joe ever since we defeated Myotismon, but I loved Jonathan too. I thought if I stopped talking to Joe I could forget about him and be happy with Jonathan." She couldn't believe she was confiding in Izzy of all people, but for some reason it seemed fitting. She sighed heavily. "It didn't work. After two years of wedding plans and gown fittings, I realized that I wasn't happy with Jonathan. I kept comparing him to Joe and wishing I could talk to him. So I broke off the engagement; it wouldn't have been fair to Jonathan to marry him when I was in love with someone else. But I couldn't talk to Joe because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to tell him that I'd been engaged to someone because...oh, I don't know why!"  
  
A hand rested lightly on her arm. "Well, that explains why Joe didn't show up at the airport or the picnic. But what happened tonight that made you cry?"  
  
Tears began to trickle gently from her eyes. "I bumped into him tonight...Literally. And I didn't know what to say. All I could manage was 'I'm sorry,' and that was obviously not enough. He just walked off." She began to sob again.  
  
A knock interrupted anything Izzy might have said. He patted Mimi's knee. "I'll get that." He crossed the room and opened the door; his eyes grew wide. "Joe!"  
  
Joe eyed his friend for a moment. "Is Mimi here?" he finally asked. Izzy could hear the buried note of anguish in Joe's voice. He nodded and jerked his head towards the living room.  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna go, okay, Joe? And go easy on her; she feels terrible." He slipped out of the apartment.  
  
Joe walked towards the living room hesitantly. A tear choked voice called out, "Who was it, Izzy?" His heart broke; Mimi was crying.  
  
"It's me," he answered her quietly, walking into the room. Mimi gasped and grabbed a tissue, hurriedly wiping her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing here, Joe?"  
  
He sighed and sat down in an armchair across from her. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small box. "I didn't think I'd get the chance to give you this later." He handed the box to her.  
  
She slowly opened it and gasped. Inside was a pair of white gold earrings, shaped like her crest, and a white gold necklace to match. She was too astonished to say anything.  
  
"I'd placed the order for them about a month before you stopped answering my emails," Joe said conversationally, almost like he was talking sports with some friends. "I was going to send them to you, but I thought that you might not want them. I've kept them with me since, hoping I might have a chance to give them to you." He paused for a long moment, and then said carefully, "If you don't want them, I'll understand."  
  
Mimi looked at him, a dazed expression on her face. "Joe, they're beautiful. But why? Why give them to me, when I've been so cruel to you?"  
  
Joe shrugged lightly, but Mimi saw the deep pain in his eyes. "Well, I did have them made for you, and I could hardly give them to someone else." Then he sighed and dropped his mask completely. A terrible, haggard expression appeared, making Mimi shiver. "To tell you the truth, Meems," he said softly, his gentle voice bitter, "I was in love with you." Her breath caught; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Joe continued without noticing. "I was going to confess how I felt when I sent them. Then you stopped talking to me and I was sure you didn't want to hear from me."  
  
He laughed hoarsely. "I thought I was over you, Meems; I had convinced myself I didn't care anymore." He shook his head and stood up, a self mocking smile forming on his lips. "Well, I've always been good at deluding myself." He gave her a little bow and turned his back. "Bye, Meems," he said without looking at her.  
  
Before Mimi could get over her shock he was out the door. As soon as he was gone, an incredulous smile appeared on her face and hope shone in her eyes. Unable to control her excitement, she grabbed for her phone and dialed a number. "Sora? Get Yolei and Kari and get over here!"  
  
Laughing in delight, she danced around the room. She spun into her bedroom and picked up one of the many pictures of Joe that she kept on her dresser. She began to tango with it.  
  
This was the strange sight that greeted her friends when they arrived. "Mimi?" Yolei cried, laughter in her voice. "What's going on?"  
  
Mimi charged up to her friends and gave them all fierce hugs before dancing off again. "He loves me! Oh, he told me he loves me!"  
  
Kari smiled and sat down on the couch. "Who, Mimi?"  
  
Their exuberant friend flung herself down on the couch next to Kari. "Joe!" she cried happily. Their eyes grew wide; no one had expected Joe's feelings for Mimi or that Mimi might feel that way about him. "Look what he gave me!" she said, pointing to the box on her coffee table.  
  
Sora reached over and opened the box; her eyes widened even further. "They're beautiful!" she gasped.  
  
Yolei looked over her shoulder, then grinned. "Yeah, Joe does have good taste in jewelry, doesn't he." She pulled a necklace out from under her shirt. It was a thin gold chain with a gold heart hanging off it; the heart had a sapphire set in its center. "Ken gave it to me for our two year anniversary. He confessed that he had Joe pick it out." She made a little face, then laughed.  
  
Mimi started to giggle, then stopped. The smile dropped off of her face, and horror made her freeze. "Oh no! I didn't tell Joe that I love him too!" She buried her face in her hands. "What am I gonna do? He must think I hate him!"  
  
Sora and Kari each wrapped an arm around her. Sora smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, Mimi. We'll help you figure out what to do." The four girls put their heads together, plotting just how Mimi should tell Joe her feelings.  
  
The next morning, Joe woke up to someone knocking loudly on his door. He got up, grabbed his glasses, and pulled a pair of baggy black pajama pants on over his boxers; he didn't bother with a shirt. He ran a comb through his hair as fast as he could and tied it back loosely. Finally, convinced he wasn't going to look like a total fool, he opened his door. "Hello?"  
  
Standing in front of him was a blushing Mimi. She was wearing the earrings and the necklace he had given her. "Hi Joe," she said softly. "Can I come in?" Joe stepped back, allowing her room to pass him. She walked in, and grinned despite herself. Joe's apartment was exactly how she'd imagined it; simple, yet elegant, with mostly dark wood furnishings and plain navy furniture.  
  
Joe gestured to a chair before walking into his kitchen. "Want anything to drink?" he called.  
  
"No thanks," she called back. He came back into the room with a glass of orange juice and sat down on his couch.  
  
"So what brings you here, Meems?" he asked lightly, sipping his juice. His eyes flickered over her, noting everything from the way she sat to how she occasionally twirled a piece of her hair nervously. A tiny light kindled in his eyes as he watched her, making Mimi's breath come faster.  
  
"I just..." she began. She swallowed and tried again. "I wanted to..." her voice trailed off again. For some reason she couldn't speak. "Oh, hell." She stood up, walked over to where he was sitting, took his face in her hands, and gently kissed him.  
  
His arms automatically wrapped around her, hugging her to him as he kissed her back. He broke away a moment later, and stared at her with a bemused expression. Mimi laughed and found that she could finally say what she wanted. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you too." 


End file.
